Save Your Own: A Witty Literary Novel of Self-Discovery, Unlikely Friendships, and Second Chances

by Elisabeth Brink

Meet Gillian a virginal, narcoleptic, atheistic Harvard Divinity School student struggling to finish her Ph.D. thesis. When her fellowship is revoked, Gillian must venture outside the walls of academia in search of a new source of income as well as interview subjects for her dissertation. She takes a job at Responsibility House, a halfway house for recovering addicts. Here pintsize Gillian is charged with the unlikely task of imposing order on unruly tenants, including motorcycle-obsessed Janet, impulsive former prostitute Florine, and self-righteous Stacy, who begin to inspire her to rethink her own dreams and desires.

A delightful read for all those who have ever wished they could be a little more than they are, Save Your Own is the perfect self-made Cinderella story.

Genres: Fiction, Book Club

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Kate Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this farcical take on cut-throat academia and a struggling grad student's fall from grace and eventual redemption. Her dissertation topic on secular conversion experiences gets repeatedly rejected by her graduate advisor and her funding is jeopardized. She applies to work at a halfway house for recovering addicts in hopes of getting the research material she needs to complete her PhD. The culture clash between her and the residents is stark and the writer really succeeds in capturing the absurdity of her new appointment as counselor to former drug addicts and prostitutes. Eventually, though, the main character finds her footing and acts with convincing authority and even takes on her boss when necessary, questioning some of the sadistic policies that are in place. Her academic career crumbles and her emotionally distant, professor parents freak out, but she ends up claiming her adulthood for herself and moving on with her life.

The plot dragged a bit in the middle. But the writing was excellent throughout. Really impressive literary stylings and a happy ending to boot. I recommend it. :)

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been some time since I read this particular book but I remember the book cover reaching out and calling to me at the library. Since I couldn't silence the voice I gave up and took it home with me.

The main character is a little mentally bent out of shape and is plagued by an obsessive interior life at the sacrifice of an exterior one. Under threat of losing a plum fellowship her brilliant interior self finally kicks her exterior self out of hiding and into the wide world. It is at a halfway house doing "research" that she finally starts to flesh out and develop.

The cerebral nature of the main character provided lots of interesting topics to think about and for that reason I really liked the book. The wacky narrator was a plus for me...I like unreliable and bizzare characters and the women at the halfway house were gems. This author has a lot of promise and I will be reading more from her, and will be expecting something even more polished next time.

**Update**1/31/12

I just peeked to see if this author has any more books listed on this site. She doesn't. Sad. I'm now off to see if maybe goodreads missed a sophomore release or something.

[Linore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got hooked quickly by this book and read straight through to the end. There is off-color language, women of a certain sexual persuasion, and an agnostic protagonist--in short, lots of stuff Christian readers may have problems with. Honestly, if I'd read the back cover blurb before opening up the book I'm not sure I would have opened it; having said that, I'm glad I did.

I found SAVE YOUR OWN laugh-out-loud funny, smart, and page-turning. The main character is someone you have to like, and the off-color language is forgivable since it comes from female ex-cons in a halfway house. In other words, they speak just like you'd expect them to speak. This isn't the sort of novel you read so you can emulate the protagonist, and the author does let slip the sadly misinformed notion that Genesis has been proven false (do your homework, Ms. Brink!)but it's a funny and poignant read for those who can accept the setting.

[Sharon]

It was good - very well written

[Karli · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a fun read. This reminds me a little of the Girl Interrupted... only saner. LOL
Gillian is as real as she gets. She's smart and dumb, she's ugly and beautiful, she's weird and cool, she's a girl and a lady. She's everything in between. She's as human as anyone can be. As vulnerable as she is, she remained decent amidst all the adversaries of the 'real world." It's always a pleasure to stumble upon a character whose witticisms, sensibilities, and idealisms are not confined with the mundane and predictable mindset of the ordinary.
Sometimes life has an interesting way of leading us to where we really belong. Its twists and tumbles should be treated with enthusiasm and graciousness because we'll never know what lies beneath it.
This book has inspired me that way. 😊

[Joan Sawyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorites books ever. Please, someone make this into a series. A lovable but prickly PhD candidate, clearly on the spectrum and emotionally and experientially challenged finds herself having to interact with women in a half way house. It's funny, heart warming and enlightening. The only problem is finding a copy.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found myself voraciously devouring this book and finished it in less than a week. The main character wss gloriously awkward and relatable. The premise was interesting and unique. Was a nice story and theme and played out well and believable epilogue.

[quesara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dnf. Her constant questions were annoying and slowing down the friggin plot.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting, memorable character in this book----Gillian. I think a picture of her will stay in my mind, similar to how that happened with the young Owen Meany (A Prayer for Owen Meany).
Good read.

[Marti · Rating 2 out of 5]

Whew! This book took me FOREVER. I am glad it had a happy & sweet ending.

[Karli · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a fun read. This reminds me a little of the Girl Interrupted... only saner. 😉

Gillian is as real as she gets. She's smart and dumb, she's ugly and beautiful, she's weird and cool, she's a girl and a lady. She's everything in between. She's as human as anyone can be.

As vulnerable as she is, she remained decent amidst all the adversaries of the 'real world." It's always a pleasure to stumble upon a character whose witticisms, sensibilities, and idealisms are not confined with the mundane and predictable mindset of the ordinary.

Sometimes life has an interesting way of leading us to where we really belong. Its twists and tumbles should be treated with enthusiasm and graciousness because we'll never know what lies beneath it.

This book has inspired me that way. 😊

[Kaitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciated the uniqueness of the setting and the characters but found the protagonist annoying initially. She reminded me of some of the snooty quasi-intellectuals from The Marriage Plot, which I really disliked. Gillian grew on me, though.

I found pieces of this unbelievable, but that might be my own ignorance. I also disliked the end, especially the prologue which was unnecessary and tied things up just a little too nicely.

Definitely worth the read, though, and I'd read it again.

[Faith Reidenbach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny! A fast read. A novel with ironic academic footnotes is worth the price of admission. The author's bio suggests that she's writing partly or largely from her own experience. She nails the inadequacies of "treatment." She also writes honestly and insightfully about a gulf between people of different classes, from the perspective of a highly privileged person. Too bad the story (and the narrator) didn't go farther with Janet the Harley-riding tough girl, but she avoids becoming a stereotype. My only gripe was the pat ending.

[Stella Giacomazzi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strange and interesting little book. At first I was dubious because I didn't care for the main character all that much, but, by the end, I was rooting for her to survive and succeed. One of those books that I grabbed off the library shelf and was pleasantly surprised by. Not a 5-starrer by any means, but ok.

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was one I had to warm up to. At the beginning of the novel, the main character is too smart for her own good, which translates into unlikeable. As a grad student, she constantly over-analyzes, which drove me crazy. Eventually, I got involved with the story and stuck with it to find out what happens, even though it was difficult at times.

[Gr8Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I WON this "Advance Reading Copy" back in 2006 and it sat on my shelf until now......Enjoyed this book (despite the typos and other such stuff due to it being the non-edited copy).......I liked the development of the main characters as well as those of the the women in the halfway house. Wish I had logged this on Goodreads sooner so I would have remembered more details.....

[Aly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pieces of this reminded me of things I loved about A Confederacy of Dunces, but I couldn't get into it fully. The main character was more irritating than sympathetic, which made it hard to care much for her. I was interested enough that I didn't want to not finish, but I did end up skimming some of the middle. Not bad, just not the right book for me, I think.

[Summer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so different, grabs you from page 1, entertains and enlightens. I love the character; she's so real. And the relationships all different; she does a great job in managing through this period in her life. So interesting and I laughed throughout!

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a fun read and made me think a bit, but not great, and I felt like it kind of flopped at the end.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're looking for an easy read with a couple of great lines, this might be a book you would like. The story is good with no real predictable parts, and the main character is delightful.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilariously written.

[Nic · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was not at all terrible.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Told from the POV of a pretty strange main character, but also a fun quick read.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't like it enough to keep reading, so I checked out the reviews on goodreads and decided they just weren't compelling enough.

[Katie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just felt like the characters were caricatures, to the extreme. So much so that they just weren't believable.

[badcat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is wise, witty, and a joy to read. The characters are endearing and memorable and the development is really engaging. I enjoyed it very much and would read it again!!

[Anika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Half-way house, loser main character, happy ending. Yup.

[Miko · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm unimpressed. It's about a neurotic grad student trying to get her dissertation approved while working at a halfway house. Hi-jinks don't ensue and it's not sweet and/or tender either.

[Bean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Odd, quirky, lovable.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a hoot!